The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob ...

I realize that most people here do not consider themselves to be people of faith, but I cannot let go of something I heard this morning. So, please bear with me or, if you prefer, just skip this one...

Those of us who do follow the Abrahamic traditions share much. We share a faith in the one true God, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen. We believe He has revealed His will to us through the Prophets. We have much in common. More, I believe, than our differences.

The leader of my Church, Pope Leo, recently visited the Blue Mosque (the Sultan Ahmed Mosque) in Istanbul. I have also been there. It is beautiful. It is spiritual. It is transcendent. And, while there, I prayed. Pope Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, also prayed when visiting the Blue Mosque. Pope Leo chose not to pray while there or with the Iman's at all. As a Roman Catholic, I am disappointed.

With all that is happening in the world today, he chose to focus in that moment on differences rather than similarities.

I don't want to be too critical of Pope Leo. He is new and I don't really know much about him. But in this act, to pray or not to pray in a "different" house of God, I think we can see and draw lesson. For me, I will always choose to strive for unity and understanding, not divisiveness.

✝☦☪✡

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MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M

I think you mean well, but that you're somewhat confused. How do you unify evil with good? There is nothing that God hates more than false religion.

2 Corinthians 14 Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? 15 Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al?*Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: “I will reside among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17 “‘Therefore, get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah,* ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’”; “‘and I will take you in.’” 18 “‘And I will become a father to you, and you will become sons and daughters to me,’ says Jehovah, the Almighty.”

KiwiBird · 36-40, F

@MartinTheFirst However both Muslim and Christian and those of the Jewish faith all believe in the same God and that is not in dispute here.

MartinTheFirst · 26-30, M

@KiwiBird If I take the first chapter of a book and then start writing fanfic about it for the rest of the book, is it the same book or a new book? If I take a character and start changing it completely, is it the same character or a new character?

Saying that your argument cant be argued isn't an effective way of making an argument.